Semiconductor devices are formed on substrates, such as silicon substrates, glass plates or the like, often termed wafers, for use in computers, monitors, etc. These devices are formed by a sequence of fabrication steps, such as thin film deposition, oxidation, etching, polishing and thermal and lithographic processing. Although multiple fabrication steps often may be performed in a single processing apparatus, substrates typically must be transported between different processing tools for at least some of the fabrication steps required for device fabrication.
Substrates generally are stored in carriers for transfer between processing tools and other locations. In many cases substrate carriers completely enclose the substrate or substrates contained therein in a stationary volume of air or other gas, to reduce the risk of particulate contamination of the substrates. A conventional substrate carrier generally has a door that must be opened and/or removed to permit a substrate to be extracted from the substrate carrier when the substrate carrier is interfaced to a processing tool.
It may be desirable to provide a latching mechanism for a substrate carrier, to assure that the door of the carrier remains closed at times when the door is intended to be closed (e.g., during transport). It also may be desirable to provide a clamping mechanism in a substrate carrier to assure that each substrate remains stationary within the carrier housing while the carrier is being transported to or from a processing tool. Such latching and clamping mechanisms typically require numerous actuators and the use of specially designed keys which increase the cost and complexity of substrate carriers. A more simplified, cost effective substrate carrier would be advantageous.